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Reading the Bible As a Catholic

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Reading the Bible As a Catholic Reading the Bible as a Catholic And Making Sense of It: Session One St. Peter Catholic Church, August 4, 2019 Deacon Clarke E. Cochran Professor Peter Judge To Go Deeper….. • Knowledge of Scripture = Knowledge of Jesus • Session One: • How do Catholics read and interpret the Bible? • Is this similar to or different from other Bible readers? • What’s in the Bible? • How did the Old and New Testaments take the form they now have? • Next Week > Session Two: • What is the best English translation for me? • How is Scripture used during Mass? • Your Questions/Comments – handout card • Fall – Gospel of Matthew in 6 sessions (handout & Timeline) Old Testament Who, What, When, Where? God’s covenant relationship with God’s people • Two Central Events in Israel’s memory and history: • Exodus from Egypt & settlement in the Land (c. 13th cent. BCE) • Exile in Babylon: loss & return to Land (6th cent. BCE) • “God (YHWH) with us” acting in history • A “testament” or “covenant” (before any writing) • a commitment, a relationship, a bond • Noah (Genesis 6) • Abraham (Genesis 15 & 17) • Moses and all of Israel (Exodus 19 & 34) [c. 1250 b.c.e.] • “I will be your God and you will be my people” • Jeremiah could speak of a “new covenant” in heart [late 600s BCE] From Tradition to “Scripture” Oral traditions about covenant experience with God preserved in written form. Prayers, Poetry, Songs Legends and folk tales Stories of Origins Genealogies Law Codes Court histories Prophetic oracles Wisdom sayings The Collection of Jewish Writings Eventually collected as Israel’s Scriptures To ra h T Prophets (Nevi’im) N Writings (Ketuvim) K TaNaK Began to come together in late 6th century BCE, after Exile in Babylon TaNaK • Torah Torah • Genesis through Deuteronomy (1st five books) • Prophets Prophets • Former: Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings (Nevi’im) • Latter prophets: • Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Writings • The Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, (Ketuvim) Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi • Writings • Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1-2 Chronicles The Septuagint (LXX) Translated into Greek in the Jewish Diaspora c. 250 BCE in Alexandria, Egypt Additional writings not previously in Hebrew Tobit, Judith, additions to Esther, 1-2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch, additions to Daniel, others These ARE included in RC & Orthodox Bibles NOT included in Protestant Bibles; often in “Apocrypha” section A different arrangement Pentateuch (Torah) Historical Books Psalms & Wisdom Prophets Christians use the Jewish Scriptures • The Greek Septuagint (LXX) was the Scripture used by early Christians across the Mediterranean world. • When the NT writers quote Scripture they are usually quoting the Greek text. • All NT writings were in Greek. New Testament Who, What, When, Where? What is the New Testament? • Jesus of Nazareth (born no later than 4 BCE; died c. 30 CE) • preached covenant faithfulness • “attested … by God with deeds of power” (Peter in Acts 2:22) • “a new covenant in my blood” • Put to death by Roman authorities at behest of Jewish leaders • Crucifixion • Experienced as alive in spite of death by followers • Resurrection • Proclaimed as the new bond between Israel’s God and people How did the New Testament come into being? • Jesus did not produce any writings • First followers proclaimed their belief – expecting imminent end • 2nd generation begins to write • Letters • Gospels & Acts • Apocalypse (Revelation) • Later generations collect these writings as their own Scriptures • As now arranged, they tell the story of Jesus and his first followers • And reflect on the significance of Jesus. 27 Books Narratives: Letters: 4 Gospels according to - 13 attributed to Paul Matthew To: Romans, I & II Corinthians, Mark Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I Luke & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon John Hebrews Acts of the Apostles “Catholic” Epistles: James, I & II Peter, I, II, II John, Letter/Narrative Combination: Jude Apocalypse of John (Revelation) Historical Understanding • Paul’s letters are the earliest NT writings • Written in the 50’s – early 60’s • 1st Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, and Romans considered authentically from Paul • Other letters attributed to Paul with more or less certainty • Letters attributed to others later in the 1st Century • Last 1/3 of the 1st Century – Gospels put the Christian message into the form of a “life” (bios ) of Jesus. • Acts = narrative of early Christian community. • Also late in 1st Century – Revelation > apocalyptic view. Why these books? • Placed on a level with the Jewish Scriptures • Preserved & revered by the 2nd century • Considered to be of “apostolic” origin • Produced for; known & used by important & influential communities. • Conformed to the “rule of faith” • i.e. most consistent with what most Christians believed & understood. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible • Scripture = part of a living, dynamic experience of God’s self-revelation • Revelation = God’s gift of God’s own SELF in the experience of people • More than a collection of propositions • TRUTH of God’s presence rather than truths about God • God’s living WORD more than a collection of words • Scriptures are foundational and authoritative • YET the community (Israel & Christianity) preceded & produced Scriptures • NOT the other way around (= fundamentalism) • Scripture and living Tradition support both continuity AND dynamic development of faith. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible • Early interpreters comfortable with allegory and metaphor in the Bible (rabbis, Origen, Augustine, etc.) • Especially when a biblical statement did not connect with experience. • Middle Ages, notion of Four Senses of Scripture was embraced: • Literal (what the text says) • Allegorical (symbolic, deeper meaning – what should I believe?) • Moral (How should I behave?) • Anagogical (Where is my eternal destination?) • E.g. Jerusalem = place, church, soul, heaven • Littera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria, moralia quid agas, quo tendas anagogia Catholic Interpretation of the Bible • 19th Century: reactions to Enlightenment doubts & to questions posed by science (e.g., evolution) led to literalist tendencies • Pius XII – Divino Afflante Spiritu (September 30, 1943) • Catholic biblical scholars could embrace modern methods • Study “literary forms” used by biblical authors • Harmonize interpretation with secular sciences • Vatican II – Dei Verbum (1965) – opened Catholics to a new awareness of Scripture • Encouraged reading & promoted modern methods. Catholic Interpretation of the Bible • Pontifical Biblical Commission further encouraged use of modern critical methods • 1964 – PBC Instruction concerning the Historical Truth of the Gospels • 1993 – PBC The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church • Thus, “literal sense” of Scripture = what biblical authors intended and conveyed to their audiences by the texts that they wrote. • Thus, biblical study uses tools of history, linguistics, archaeology, literary criticism, sociology, and more to interpret the Bible. • Our faith is informed by our use of these, but also guides it. Methods for reading and understanding • Historical-critical methods: explore sources, genres, redactional/editorial or compositional practices • historical situations that help explain the texts. • also social scientific approaches & study of many manuscript variations. • Literary methods: examine narrative, rhetorical, & linguistic features of texts • E.g. characterization, plot, rhetorical devices & structures. • Theological methods: interpretation (hermeneutics) and the meaning of the text for contemporary readers. Session 2: Next Week YOUR QUESTIONS/COMMENTS – NOTE CARDS What is the best English translation for me? How is Scripture used during Mass? Creation, Genesis, Science, & Literal Interpretation Bible and Catholic Social Teaching.
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